Valve



Patented Aug. j26;, 1941 VALVE Lewis C. Broecker, Bridgeport, Conn., assig'nor to Bridgeport Brass Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application February 16, '1939, Serial No. 256,642, 3 Claims. 1( Cl. 251-144) This invention relates to valves and more es- Pecially to air valves for use in connection with pneumatic tires.

An object of this invention is an improved Valve structurewhich eliminates the disadvantages of and objections to the conventional types of valve by providing a valve assembly `which is inherentseal and is economical to manufacture.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a valve I embodying the invention, and

preferably provided with an integral ap or patch I2 adapted for vulcanization' tothe exterior surface of a tire tube (not shown). of the metal stem II) is preferably provided with threads I3 of the conventional type and form now stem I0, thus separating the valve body I9 from the valve seat I4 and allowing air to pass freely into or out of the stem. When the air chuck or gauge is removed, the spring I8 immediately en- -v ly simple, requires no cap, has only oneseat or y gages the valve body I9 with the seat I4, thus sealing the stem. The head 2| being rounded on its outer surface, facilitates its entry into the bore of the valve seat I4 and the center pin 20 being loosely guided inside of the spring I8 serves to keep the upper face of the valve body I9 approximately at right angles with the inner face of the valve seat I4. 1 l

l In manufacturing so`called rubber valve stens, the rubber stem I I is vulcanized to the metal stem I0, after insertion therein of the bushing I5. Next,

vthe ange or base I2 is attached to thev uncured The upper end provided on valve stems. The rubber or other yieldable material of the stem Il is extended upwardly so as to cover the thread I3.

At the upper end, the sterf,V I is provided an inwardly facing valve seat E4 of lesser diameter than that of the bore of the stem I0. The lower end of the stern I0 is provided with an integral rubber stem II. A bushing I5 inserted through the bottom of the stem I0 is held at proper elevation in the stem by inwardly directed oisets I6 formed in the stem I0 after the insertion oi' the bushing. This bushing may be formed from sheet metal as shown or may be made from bar metal. In either event, the'bushing is provided with a recess having an inwardly directed annular flange I1 defining an aperture extending through the bushing;

The-lower end of a. helical coil spring I8 is supported by the flange Il and engages the bottom surface of a valve body Il to urge it into contact with the valve seat I4. A center pin 20 extends through the spring IB and is provided with a head 2| around which is vulcanized or molded the valve body I9 and is of proper diameter to ilt closely but slidably within the bore extending through the valve seat I4.

When an air chuck or gauge is suppliedto the stem I0, the head 2l is pushed downward into the Y .flange ma to assist in securing it firmly to the.

inner tube by placing it with the tube in the curing or vulcanizing mold and iniiating with air or steam atrelatively high pressure. When the curing process is completed, the air or steam is al` lowed to escape and must be entirely removed from the tube before the mold can be opened and the tube removed as the tube will explode or distort when any air under pressure is left inside.

The length of time required to introduce and expel air or steam into and out ofthe inner tube during the curing process is very important and slowness in this respect not only affects the rate l.

of production but causes blistering of the outer surface of thel tube. As the area ofthe smallest air passagel through this stem (bore of bushing I5) is nearly twice that of the bore through the stems now in use, rthe present stem is decidedly superior with respect to rate of introduction or removalA of air. After the tube is cured or vulcanized, the core is introduced into the stem I 0. 'I'he cores now in use have yto be screwed into the valve stem. 'This is a relatively slow operation and occasionally a core will cross-thread resulting in breakage of the core and damage to the valve stem.

'I'he manner of introducing 'simple operation and is illustrated in Fig. 2.

First, the springi8 is introduced and its lower end seated on the flange I1 into which position it will readily drop due to the fact that its diamsuch alinement being eiiected by fitting the rec cess 24 in the bushing I6 over the upper end of the stem I 0. The valve body I9, together with,

the center pin 20, are inserted in the bore 23 and l the core' of the present invention into the stem I0 is a relatively 2 f s thusare accurately linedup 'with the spring I8 and bore of the valve seat Il. Next, the valve body and center pin, guided by the bore 23, are pushed into the stemIl, the valve 'body I9 being suiilciently yieldable to pass through the bore of the valve seat. Immediately after its insertion,-

the valve body assumes its normal size so as to engage with the 4valve seat I4. After insertion has been completed, the bushing 22 is removed.

If a valve becomes'leaky from any cause, the

`valve body maybe removed by screwing asmall threaded rod into the threaded bore 25 in the end l of the' center pin 20 and applying sufficient pull to remove the vvalve body and associated center.

l rounding the upper end of the stem I0 and covering the thread I3 not only gives a pleasing appearance to the stem by covering the metal of the ly'facing valve 'seatfof lesser-diameter than said bore at its upper end, a bushing supported in said stem a'nd providedwith a recess and having an stem I0, but also makes it possible to use the sov called snap-on air chuck on this stem as the relatively soft yieldable material covering the threads is readily deformable' to allow the jaws [of the air chuck tov enter the threads and thus secure the air chuck as effectively as would be the case if the threads were exposed. 'I'he size of the thread I3 is such that a conventional valve cap v easily .fits the uncovered threads. Thus, should a valve become leaky and a new core not be readily available, a conventional cap can be used in the usual mannerby screwingl it over the covered threads.

I claim:

1. A valve comprising a tubular stem having an inwardly facing annular valve seat at one end, an annular abutment in said stem, means integral with said stem for supporting said abutment member, aV valve body engageable with said seat, a .spring interposed between said abutment and valve'body, aA pin extending through said abutment, spring,l and the bore of said valve seat, an annular head on said pin snuglyiltting the-bore of said valve seat, ysaid valve body being of larger cross-section than said valve seat and being composed of yieldable material capable of' suillcient compression to pass through the bore of said valve seat and said pinv head being provided with a threaded access.

2. A valve comprising a tubular stem of comparatively large bore having an annular inwardinwardly directed flange defining a venting aperture concentric about the axis of said tubular stem and extending through said bushing, said aperture being oi suillcient size to' permit quick, free venting therethrough, said stem being inwardly oiset below said bushing. for holding the latter in place in said stem, a valve body engageable with said seat, a spring interposed between said valve body and said iiange and extending into said recess in said bushing, a pin extending loosely through saidI venting aperture in said bushing and said spring, a head on said pin adapted-to project into and fit snugly inthe bore of said valve seat and having an access'opening therein to facilitate removal of sald-pin, said piny having a diameter substantially smaller than the aperture defined by said. flange `whereby said spring may urge said valve body into sealing engag'ement ,with said seat, said valve body surrounding a portion of said head and being of Y larger cross section than said valve seat and being composed of yieldable material capable of sumcient compression to pass through the bore of said valve seat.

3. A valve comprising a tubular stem of comparatively large bore having an` annular inwardly facing valve seat of lesser diameter than said bore at its upper end, a bushing supported in said stem and provided with a recess, and having an inwardly directed flange defining an aperture extending through said bushing and so admeasured as to permit quick, free introduction and withdrawal of air therethrough, said stem being inwardly oiset below said bushing for holding the latter in place-in said stem, a valve body engageable with said seat, a spring interposed between said vaive body and said flange and extending into said recess in said bushing, a pin extending loosely through said aperture and said spring, a head on said pin adapted to project into and closely but slidably iit said bore of said valve seat, said head being rounded onv itsouter surface to facilitate its entry into said bore of said valve seat under action of said spring, said valve body surrounding a portion of said head and being of llarger cross section than said valve seat and being composed of yieldable material capable of sufficient compression to pass through the bore of said valve seat, and said pin being of substantially smaller diameter than said aperture dened by said ange whereby said spring may seat said valve body on said valve seat.

LEWIS C. .BROECKER. 

